Reading for today
Old Testament: Joshua 3, 4, 5
New Testament: Luke 20
Thoughts from today’s reading
Joshua 5:9-11. At Gilgal, the men were circumcised and the Lord said the reproach on the people had been rolled away. This happened at the time of the passover.
Jesus also died at the time of the passover to roll the reproach of sin away from us. When we believe in Him our hearts are circumcised.
Joshua 5:13-15. When the Lord shows up, He does not come to take sides as Joshua was asking, but He comes to take over because the battle is the Lord’s. All we are required to do is trust Him, follow His direction and then worship.
Luke 20:20-26. Jesus said to give to Caesar the things that are his, and to give to God the things that are His. Man was made in the image of God so we belong to Him, but we also have His nature and when we make things, we make them in our own image too.
Jesus was calling out the difference between God’s system and the world’s system, and we need to be careful that we are not offering what belongs to God, like our worship, to a world system, like the pursuit of riches.
Prayer
1. Lord I thank you that the reproach has been rolled away through Jesus Christ. I am no longer under the condemnation of sin and an old and ineffective life. I believe that you have blessed me with all I need to live a fruitful and victorious life and I will win in every battle of life that I face. Thank you Father that the battle belongs to you and when you show up, it is not to negotiate, but to take over because the battle belongs to You, and You have decided to give the victory of the battle to me.
2. Lord I know that I belong to you and therefore will offer all my reasonable worship and sacrifices in the right place which is at your altar. Fill me with wisdom to be quick to give to God what belongs to Him and also to give to the world system what it is due. Thank you that putting God first makes me ahead and never behind in life.